


(one step forward) two steps back

by melissa13



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Mild Spoilers for 3x18, Speculation for 3x18
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-19
Updated: 2014-04-19
Packaged: 2018-01-19 23:19:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1487818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melissa13/pseuds/melissa13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She’d never had to question whether he’d be there for her before. He always just...was. And the fact that she even had to ask, well, it hurt. But that’s what happened when you let people in, you gave them the power to hurt you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	(one step forward) two steps back

Emma stared intently at the gibberish on the page before her, trying to memorize the foreign words of Elvish that Regina had given her as homework. It was hard, though, and it was giving her the worst headache. Those _Lord of the Ring_ actors made it look so easy, she thought idly. 

The bell above the door tinkled as it swung open, and Emma, grateful for the distraction, lifted her head to see Hook amble across the threshold of Granny’s. When his eyes connected with hers, they widened, and he hesitated, looking for all the world like the only thing he wanted to do was turn back around and flee in the direction he had come. 

For the second time in as many days, Emma got the feeling that Hook was avoiding her; and she had to admit, it was a feeling she didn’t like. When had he ever _not_ wanted to spend time with her? It was a vain thought, maybe, but Hook had been nearly glued to her side ever since they’d returned to Storybrooke. 

“Hey,” she called out to him before he could pretend like he hadn’t seen her. 

He gave her a close-lipped smile before making his way over to her booth. “Swan,” he greeted solemnly, with none of his usual charisma. He didn’t sit down, and his eyes darted around the diner almost nervously. “I just came in to procure some lunch.”

Emma gestured to the spot across from her. “I was going to order something soon, anyway.”

He fidgeted, eyeing the books on the table as he scratched at the stubble along his jawline. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt your studying,” he said timidly, and since when was he timid around her? He obviously didn’t want to sit with her and somehow that made her all the more determined to get him to.

“I could use a break,” she said, giving him a smile that left no room for disagreement. “Sit.”

He exhaled heavily through his nose, but slid into the booth. Up close, Emma noticed how worn down he appeared. His eyes were bloodshot with dark circles beneath them. His brow seemed permanently furrowed, worried lines etched into his forehead. There was no hint of a flirtatious smile on his face, no trace of the usual behavior she’d come to expect from him. Something had happened, and it had happened between yesterday and last night. 

“Is everything okay?” she asked, and his eyes looked away from her again. She persisted, though. “You look like you haven’t slept.”

“I doubt anyone is resting easy in their bed with the witch on the loose,” Hook said flatly, and it didn’t escape Emma’s notice that he hadn’t answered her question. 

“Yeah, well, hopefully the _séance_ tonight will give us some answers about how to defeat her,” she said, flipping through the pages of her book idly. 

“Séance?” he asked skeptically. 

She made a noise of agreement. “Regina wants us to commune with Cora’s spirit and try to get some more information about Zelena’s past,” Emma explained. “She thinks it might give us some insight on her endgame.”

Hook noded slowly but didn’t respond, merely tapping his fingers on top of the table. She watched him and couldn’t deny the way her heart sank as he actively avoided her gaze. Why was he acting like this? Why was he pulling away from her at the exact moment she was finally ready to let him in? It didn’t make any sense.

“You’ll be there tonight, right?” she asked in a small sort of voice that made her immediately feel too vulnerable. She’d never had to question whether he’d be there for her before. He always just...was. And the fact that she even had to ask, well, it hurt. But that’s what happened when you let people in, you gave them the power to hurt you. She just never would have expected it from him.

His eyes trailed back up to hers and some of the hardness on his face melted away. “If you wish it,” was all he said, slouching lower down on his side of the booth. 

“Well, I do,” she replied haughtily, trying to coax a smile out of him, any sort of response really. When all she got was a small forced upturn of his lips, she knew something was really wrong. She opened her mouth to ask him just what had gotten his sword stuck up his ass when Belle rushed up to their table. 

Hook all too readily looked up at her as a welcome distraction, and it was all Emma could do to concentrate on Belle’s research finds, she was so busy worrying about him. The librarian was gone as quickly as she’d come, the bells on the door ringing loudly as she made her exit, and Emma turned her attention back to the pirate sitting across the table. 

“What the hell is up with you?” she asked without preamble, pinning him with a hard stare. 

He swallowed heavily before adopting a careless smile, and Emma decided she absolutely hated the look on him. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Swan,” he said. 

He made her blood boil sometimes, and not in a good way. “Cut the crap,” she said, leaning forward. “Something happened yesterday that you’re not telling me.”

Hook held her gaze for a long moment, blue eyes suddenly more turbulent than Emma had ever seen them, before he lowered his eyes down to the table. “Leave it alone, Emma,” he said, his tone almost pleading.

“Not until you tell me what’s going on,” she persisted.

His expression morphed into one of helplessness as he shook his head. “I...can’t,” he told her, a wretched look in his eyes. 

“Why not?” Emma pressed still. Hook shook his head again, but didn’t speak. He fidgeted, his fingers sliding over his mouth, and he seemed so _broken_ that it scared her. She couldn’t help herself from placing her hand over his once he’d dropped it down to the table. “Hook, please, I—”

“Emma!”

They were interrupted by David’s hasty entrance into Granny’s, and Emma didn’t miss the way Hook yanked his hand out from under hers. It burned to know he couldn’t bear to touch her when he would have welcomed it only yesterday. 

“We’ve got trouble,” her father said, coming to a halt by them as they both got to their feet. “Zelena has Regina’s heart.”

“What?” Emma exclaimed. 

“Yeah, anyway, Regina says we have to do the séance now,” he said. He gestured to both her and Hook. “You two head over to her house. I’ve gotta pick up Mary Margaret.”

Emma nodded. “Right, we’ll meet you there,” she said, turning to gather up her books. 

She heard a sigh from Hook and felt his fingers tentatively cover hers. “Let me get those for you,” he offered, and took the books out of her hands before she could protest. 

“Thanks,” she said, watching as he cradled the books in the crook of his arm. Before he could turn away, she touched his shoulder. “Killian,” she said, and he looked back at her, blue eyes so weary and troubled that the rebuke she’d meant to give him died on her lips. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, but I’m here when you’re ready to tell me.” 

He nodded, but the ashen pallor of his face didn’t dissipate as he gestured for her to proceed him out of the diner. As Emma walked out the door, she couldn’t decide what unnerved her more: whatever he was hiding from her or the fact that he felt he had to hide it from her in the first place. 

**Author's Note:**

> I know this conversations been done about a hundred times, but after I saw the promo pics, I couldn't get this out of my head so I had to write it down. Let me know what you think! :)


End file.
